Physical description
Rectangular box with pastiglia decoration on a gilt ground on the lid and the four sides. The lid is emblazoned with the coat of arms that Cardinal Bernardo Cles (1485 - 1539) used as Prince Bishop of Trento between 1514 and 1538 and his personal cipher, a bundle of sticks tied with a band inscribed UNITAS. The arms are surmounted with the hat of a cardinal, an office he held from 1530 onwards. Between the coat of arms and the ‘UNITAS’ cyphers are placed four Etruscan sphinxes, with scrolls emanating from the front and back. All these elements are of stamped white lead pastiglia on water-gilt background, punched into no particular pattern. The edges of the lid are decorated with a broad white lead pastiglia laurel and berry frieze.
The front side is decorated with an equestrian battle on the left and the rape of Lucretia on the right. The Left side depicts a naked Priestess (of Delphi?) in front of a palm tree, flanked by Roman Soldiers, and the right side an equestrian battle. The back is decorated with the rape of Lucretia on the left and an equestrian battle on the right. The episodes on the front and back of the box are separated with a composite pilaster of white pastiglia, and the one at the front is pierced near the top for a key-hole. Two virtually identical pilasters converge at each of the four corners, and the base consists of a laurel wreath frieze. The bottom of the box is covered with dark blue leather and the inside is lined with royal blue velvet. It was fitted with a lock and two new hinges some time in the late nineteenth century.
Place of Origin
Venice (city) (possibly, made)
Ferrara (possibly, made)
Date
1530-1538 (made)
19th century (altered)
Artist/maker
Unknown
Materials and Techniques
Alderwood, gilding and white lead pastiglia
Marks and inscriptions
"Unitas" Unity Inscription; decoration; Latin; Latin; Lid; about 1530
"P. Moore/ Registered/ TFTE 21700" This is stamped on the hinges of the lid.
"P. Moore/ Registered/ TFTE 21700" 1) Makers's mark; English; Hinges; stamped; ca. 1880
Dimensions
Height: 9.1 cm
Width: 23.4 cm
Depth: 12.9 cm
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Object history note
This object originally belonged to Carinal Bernardo Cles (1485 - 1539), of Trento. It was loaned to the South Kensington Museum in 1876, and acquired in 1891, along with 112 other items, belonging to the 15th Lord Zouche (1851 - 1914), which were valued at a total of £5,000.
Historical context note
Musk-scented boxes with white-lead decoration, like this example, were presented as lovers' gifts and used for storing trinkets and small curios. They were often decorated with classical themes extolling love or wifely virtues, such as the Rape of Lucretia in this example, and these became increasingly popular throughout Italy from about 1460, as myths and legends of Ancient Greece and Rome replaced Medieval Romances as decorative themes. Musk was included in the decoration to make both the box and the owner's hands smell pleasant.
Thorton suggests that this would have been called a 'cassetta' or 'scatola'
Descriptive line
Casket, alderwood, Italy, 1530-1538.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Wilk, Christopher, ed. . Western Furniture 1350 to the Present Day. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996. 230p., ill. ISBN 085667463X.
Patrick M. de Winter: 'A little-known creation of Renaissance decorative arts: the white lead pastiglia box', Saggi e Memorie di Storia dell' Arte 14 (1984, pp. 9 - 42, 103 - 131).
G.Gerola: Le Imprese di Bernardo Cles (Venice, 1922).
M. Lupo: 'Un Cassone dipinto di Bernardo Cles', Studi Trentini di scienze storiche, LIX (1980), pp. 269 - 273.
Peter Thornton, Cassoni, Forzieri, Goffani and Cassette: Terminology and its problems, in Apollo vol. CXX (1984), no.272 pp.246-251
Labels and date
CASKET with the arms of Cardinal Cles
About 1530-8
The lid is decorated with the coat of arms and 'Unitas' (unity) symbol of Cardinal Bernardo Cles, Bishop of Trento between 1514 and 1538. He became cardinal in 1530 and it is possible that this box was presented to him in honour of the event. The narrative scenes include the Rape of Lucretia and a series of equestrian battles.
Northern Italy
Alder wood, with white-lead based decoration (pastiglia) and gilding
Museum no. 777-1891
CASKETS
In the 15th and 16th centuries most people stored small belongings in a casket (cassetta) rather than drawers. Despite their locks, these caskets are unlikely to have contained valuables, as their light wooden frames and delicate ornament (white lead mixed with egg, called pastiglia) are not secure. Instead, they probably held trinkets or toiletries such as tooth and ear picks.
Associated names
Cles, Bernardo (Cardinal)
Materials
Gold leaf; Gesso; White lead; Red bole
Subjects depicted
Coats of arms; Soldiers; Horse; Sphinxes; Lucretia; Unity; Impresa; Impressa; The Rape of Lucretia
Categories
Furniture
Production Type and Product Note
Unique
Collection code
FWK
